Dream Evil - Evilized
Century Media
Melodic (True) Metal
12 songs (47'15)
Release year: 0
Dream Evil, Century Media
Reviewed by Marty
It was just this past spring when I reviewed Dragonslayer, the debut album by this band and already they are about to release the follow up to that one in a couple of weeks. Guitarist/keyboardist Fredrick Nordstrom and company (including guitar wiz-kid Gus G.) really blasted out of the gates with their debut album, serving up a nice slice of Melodic Power Metal with some True Metal elements. Dragonslayer was well received and got very good reviews from the music press.

This new album, Evilized, continues in the same vein as the previous one only I find it to be more focused and much more melodic as well. The True Metal elements are still there, such as the big chanting choir-like choruses, but they're not as prominent as on Dragonslayer. The songs range from great up-tempo rockers to slower pounding heavy metal anthems with a couple of power ballads for good measure. The guitar sound is big and this album is full of great guitar riffs and some amazingly fast but melodic soloing by Gus G. I find the overall sound of this release to be more of a U.S. Power Metal sound with very little to give away that this band is in fact, from Sweden. The riffing and the sound of the guitars really has a classic Judas Priest type of sound. One aspect that became quite apparent on the first listen to this album is that I think these guys have been listening to some older Scorpions albums in the last while, especially albums such as Blackout and Love At First Sting. At least half of the songs on this album bear the typical Scorpions trademarks of thick power chord melodic metal with lots of lead fills over the main riffs and vocalist Niklas Isfeldt even sounds amazingly like Klaus Meine (Scorpions) with his vocal delivery. The song The End in fact, is a gut wrenching power ballad along the likes of Still Loving You. All of the songs on this album have a great overall sound but in a couple of instances, the songwriting doesn't measure up to the quality of most of the songs on this release.

It's been a long time since I've heard any band capture the sense of melody but still maintain the heaviness since the glory days of the Scorpions in the 80's. The combination of that aspect and a very modern fast Power Metal sound gives the band a great energetic and fresh sound. This band really doesn't offer up anything new or innovative but what they may lack in originality is more than made up for in talented musicianship, lots of melodic hooks, very rich vocal melodies and the ability to write great songs.

Overall, this is another solid release by this band. It isn't very often that a band can combine all the right elements to produce such a great sounding album especially when they play an all-too-familiar style of metal. If your a fan of Melodic Metal and also enjoy some of the more heavier True Metal styles as well, this band strikes a good balance between the two and I recommend that you check them out......if you haven't already!!

Killing Songs :
Lots of good songs but especially By My Side, Children Of The Night, Made Of Metal and The End
Marty quoted 84 / 100
Jay quoted 85 / 100
Other albums by Dream Evil that we have reviewed:
Dream Evil - In The Night reviewed by Marty and quoted 75 / 100
Dream Evil - United reviewed by Mike and quoted 76 / 100
Dream Evil - The Book Of Heavy Metal reviewed by Marty and quoted 85 / 100
Dream Evil - Children of the Night reviewed by Ben and quoted no quote
Dream Evil - Dragon Slayer reviewed by Marty and quoted 85 / 100
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